Shopping in New York: Schooner Days MCXVIII (1118) Happier Bride’s Diary - 17

Toronto Telegram, Aug 15, 1953

By C.H.J. Snider

Of course Mrs. Anne Smith MacDonell of Toronto, went shopping in New York, in 1805. Didn’t you, madam, in 1953? To your duty-free limit? Over?

“Ist July, Shoping all the morn...

“2nd Visiting and shoping...

“... we walked to Grinwich a-shoping

Ann’s diary has many such entries, all stubbornly spelling shopping with one p.

In the back of the little book now so precious, which she took with her 148 years ago, are four pages devoted to accounts. The entries are undated, but neatly kept. They prove that the young bride of the High Sheriff of the Home District of Upper Canada was as careful with her eminent husband’s pounds shillings and pence as he was of the affairs of the province, or of Lord Selkirk’s Highland settlement at Baldoon of which he was the superintendent.

For their light on long ago prices of “tips and shoe and sealing wax”- the seventy items adjoining are worth reading. A laundress, it will be learned, got 5 shillings and a parasol cost 30, but a hair-do could be had for 4.

Canadians of 1805 were accustomed to L. s.d. and $ and c. The boat hire from Oswego to Schenectady, four or five men and a large boat for a week, was “50 Doll” it may be recalled from the diary entry, and the charge was considered excessive.

But Anne was not niggarly. Her tips of three or four shillings for porters and servants seemed out of line with the general thrift of the time. They were the equivalent of a day’s pay- and perhaps all the wages the recipients ever got. Many worked for “board-wages” in 1805.

The entries cannot all apply to this 6 months’ journey from Etobicoke to New York and back. From the totals, given progressively, it seems plain that half of the L26-19-6 accounted for was spent before reaching Oswego, and therefor in the first five months of the year and presumably in York, U. C. As Anne was married about New Year’s 1805, these expenditures may have been made in Toronto in preparation for the journey and for Anne’s first house-keeping.

One item baffles the annotator - “Carmen” on page 3. Proper name? Carmine” Car man? The equivalent of the express man or baggage handler?

But we may be certain that the “1 oz. gum, 1 shilling” under the shirt buttons, on page 1. was not for chewing but for sealing.

Apparently it was not the thing for a young lady to go shopping alone in 1805. Anne’s diary mentions her shopping companions usually an older matron, some time a girl friend, occasionally a mere male, but only when sager companionship was not available. She bought bonnets and fans and white kid shoes and black shoes, silk stockings and veils and earrings and a swell lace coat. Also shirt buttons and drawing paper and spice and ribbons and needles and thread. And thimbles whereby hangs a further tale.

IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK

1st Page	£ S d
court plaster	0-2-0
shirt buttons	0-1-0
1 oz. Gum	0-1-0
Green & yellow paper	0-6-0
drawing paper	0-1-0
12 yd bed ticking 4/6	2-14-0
1 lb orange peel	0-6-0
1/2 lb. cloves	0-6-0
1 oz. Nutmeg	0-4-0
2 oz. Cinnamon	0-6-0
Orange & basket	0-6-0
Comb brush	0-6-0
a pair of white kid shoes	0-12-0
1 yd white bedstring	0-10-0
1 thimble	0-4-0
tambou cotton	0-2-0
pink bonnett	0-3-0
_____________	______________
2nd Page Bro’ over	6-15-0
40 yd of dimity	6-10-0
pink riband	0-3-0
white do	0-3-0
stage	0-8-0
servant girl	0-4-0
Porter	0-3-0
a small pocket book	0-5-0
nife	0-4-0
comb	0-3-0
top cottin & fine linen	0-4-0
2 1/3 yd bed ticking 5/8	0-13-0
20 yd bed binding 4d	0-6-8
	16-1-8
2 small crocks	0-1-4
1 skein silk	-6
2 do silk	1
10 yd cotton 2 6	1-5
_____________	______________
3rd Page
green veil	0-7–0
Oswego girl	0-3–0
do	0-3–0
Servant man	0-4-0
For figs &c	1-0-0
Carmon	0-2-0
	_____
	1-19-0
straw bonnet	2-8–0
fan	0-12-0
	______
	4-19-0
ear ring	1-0-0
comb	0-16-0
for dressing hair	0-4-0
	______
	6-19-0
silk stockings	1-4-0
lace cloak	5-12-0
	_____
	13-5-0
Washer woman	0-5-0
6yd embossed cottin	0-5-0
6yd cambric cottin	1-17-6
half yard muslin	0-12-0
2 lb darning cottin	1-8-0
_____________	______________
Page 4 Bro over	18-5-6
three thimbles	0-9-0
1yd. Hook muslin	0-12-0
a parisole	1-10-0
6 yd wire	0-1-0
1 yd pealing	0-9-0
a pair black shoes	0-9-0
bean’s	0-2-0
	_____
	22-3-6
6yd. India Muslin	1-1-10-0
12 skeins worsted	0-6-0
salt spoons	0-6-6
4 skeins black thread	0-1-0
needle 3/1 hld	0-10-0
slides for decaten	0-13-0
1 oz. Silk	0-5-0
6 oz thread	0-12-0
1 small bonnett	0-12-0
pair of curling tongs	0-2-6
	26-19-6